The THTR Circulars from 2007

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THTR Circular No. 115, August 2007

Uranium transports through Hamm: no run-of-the-mill matter !!

After the Hammer city administration had initially refused to answer questions from the citizens' initiative about the uranium transports through Hamm to Gronau, on June 11, 6 it processed a similar request from the Hammer Council group of the Greens (Opinion 2007/0708, not 07/08!). However, in our opinion, the answers are mostly very unsatisfactory:

City of Hamm has not yet been involved in specific transport planning

In recent years, the city of Hamm and the Hamm fire brigade have not been informed of the specific dates of the uranium hexafluoride transports. This means that in innumerable cases, neither the Hammer population nor the institutions responsible for disaster control were issued specific warnings. They were all completely ignorant that a highly dangerous transport of dangerous goods not only drives through Hamm, but also makes a stop here for many hours. An incident or accident would have hit Hamm without any warning.

There is no civil protection plan!

In the answer to question 6 it is admitted that there is no disaster control plan for Hamm. This is only intended for risk companies located in “regional authorities”. There are only "fire service regulations" for passing dangerous goods. The administration admits: "It is impossible to plan all possible and conceivable cases of damage (...) in detail in each case." But allegedly the Hamm fire brigade is well prepared.

World Youth Day and UF-6 transports are not comparable

We certainly do not want to deny the fire brigade the good will to do the best possible for the safety of the Hammer citizens. But if the official statement of the city of Hamm under question 2 seriously refers to previous deployments of the Hammer fire brigade (within the framework of Association 6) at the World Youth Day and the 5 World Cup in connection with UF-2006 transports, we have to rely on the expertise of the for Those responsible doubt these statements. A special suitability and experience in the event of incidents with highly toxic and radioactive substances can hardly be derived from an assignment at the World Youth Day or the World Cup, because this involves a completely different spectrum of tasks and risks.

Assumptions that are not appropriate to the situation

We read the answer to our question 8 with astonishment: "Due to the applicable regulations in the dangerous goods sector, the transporters are obliged to carry appropriate information material for non-police hazard prevention with the respective transports". If UF-6 escapes, severe, often fatal injuries are to be expected for those in the vicinity. How should information material be viewed from the train driver? - The very small, inconspicuously attached radioactive warning signs on the wagons can also be destroyed in a fire and then no longer even be seen.

Inadequate shipping containers: failed fire test

In the answer to question 1, it is pointed out that the transport containers are only checked every five years. In view of the intensive use of the containers (approx. 1 - 2 transports per month through Hamm alone) and the potential danger, this period is far too long. At present, type 48Y containers are used in Germany for the transport of uranium hexa-fluoride, for which only a transport permit from the United Kingdom is available for transport in European traffic. Urenco is a multinational company and its Capenhurst site is in the UK. According to the information in Bundestag printed paper 48/16, question 5174, it is precisely these containers 30Y that have not passed a fire test. It is irresponsible to use non-approved and obviously defective containers for this highly dangerous cargo!

URENCO under increasing pressure

In more and more municipalities along the approximately 1000 km long transport route, concerned citizens are wondering how their safety is doing. The Hammer city administration is feeding URENCO with the information that UF-6 transports have so far not resulted in any damage to health. In doing so, she does not mention the fact that accidents in industrial plants and laboratories have already resulted in many serious injuries and deaths. Even when working with the smallest quantities of UF-6, operating instructions provide for the most extensive protective measures and special emergency training. The magazine "Unfallversicherung aktuell" (1/2001) wrote: "The occurrence of accidents shows that fast and professional first aid and medical treatment are of decisive importance, and in some cases life-saving". This already applies to a few grams. Transporting tonnes through half of Europe is an entirely different dimension!

Shut down nuclear facilities

"... a residual risk can never be ruled out," writes the Hamm municipality. For once we share this statement. And that's why the uranium enrichment plant in Gronau, where the nuclear fuel for around 32 dangerous nuclear power plants is produced, should be shut down in order to tackle the problem at the root. Because as the city administration of Hamm wrote so aptly in one of their brighter moments: "The disaster cannot be planned (...)."

Our criticism of the response from the Hammer city administration sparked a lively response on WA, Radio Lippewelle and on television (WDR broadcast on June 18, 6).

As a citizens' initiative, we submitted further inquiries and suggestions to the Hammer city administration on July 26, 7. An important statement is based on an article by Gerhard Piper, a research fellow at the Berlin Information Center for Transatlantic Security (BITS). In the nine-page article "International Uranium Hexafluoride Tourism Through Germany" of June 2007, 30, he writes as follows:

"In Hamm, Westphalia, there is still a special problem: The ABC train of the volunteer fire brigade has its technical base right next to the marshalling yard at Rathenaustraße 16. In the event of a fire on the railway site, this short journey is undoubtedly very cheap, but for one Accident by a nuclear train, this spatial proximity could have devastating effects. It is possible that the firefighters rushing to the site would not even have access to their NBC protective equipment (an old VW T3 explorer, a modern Dekon-P, an ancient multi-purpose vehicle for decontamination and a new decontamination container) because their own base would already be contaminated. Only two roll-off containers for radiation protection and chemical protection remained available at the main station of the Hammer professional fire brigade. With these limited NBC resources, the firefighters would largely be doomed to inactivity and would have to wait for reinforcements from the neighboring districts of Ahlen, Soest and Unna. In this way, the affected population would initially be left to their own devices. "

These statements coincide with our observations. In 2006 we observed several times that exactly (!) At the level of the fire brigade, fire extinguishing train West, in Rathenauer Strasse 16, the train carrying uranium hexafluoride made an unattended stopover for many hours at night. The distance between the building and dangerous goods was around 200 to 250 meters. The fire brigade base with the essential disaster control equipment was therefore itself in the area in which a stay in the event of a disaster could have potentially fatal consequences. The Austrian Federal Ministry for Agriculture, Forestry, Environment and Water Management wrote in a brochure about the dangers of uranium hexafluoride transport in 2007: “Up to 500 m away, people will be exposed to severe poisoning and chemical burns from HF. If you stay for a longer period of time, there is still danger to life in this area. ”- The numerous other questions and suggestions can be found on our website. We look forward to the answer!

Rejoice, dear atomic community, because our Lord Chaos Researcher announced the good news to us all on a memorable day:

“I consider the thorium high-temperature reactor to be a future-oriented technology. That will be discussed later. ' In Jülich, where the last research reactor was recently shut down, there is a lot of expertise available. It would be stupid not to use it, said the minister. "(1)

His disciples fervently seconded him to the “Solidarity Citizens' Movement” (Büso) and delivered a modern stab legend as an encore: “With the HTR developed by Professor Schulten in Jülich, Germany had the safest and best nuclear technology in the world. This technology has been maliciously sabotaged and destroyed, not only by green nuts, but also by myopic economic managers within the core industry. When the THTR-1989 in Hamm was finally shut down in 300, there was economic damage that exceeded everything that the sabotage of the Transrapid maglev train will cost us. "(2)

But after seven years of red-green “eco-madness” (Büso) and “pessimism about the future” (Pinkwart), a prophecy by the Minister of Innovation, which is shining all over the world, promises hope and relief for the battered souls of the nuclear saviors: “'High-temperature reactors are the most climate-friendly way of producing hydrogen can be produced economically, 'says Pinkwart. 'In the future we want to participate in international research on Generation IV reactors'. "(3)

The civil rights movement hastily organized its very own solidarity with the nuclear industry. - She ran in 2007 in the municipal elections in Wiesbaden. One of their main demands: the construction of “fourth generation nuclear power plants like the pebble bed reactor” (4). However, this innovative demand brought only a few votes. But the Wiesbaden-based company SGL Carbon, which produces the graphite for the THTR fuel element spheres in South Africa, will certainly have been very pleased. Pinkwart invokes the end of Germany as an industrial location and wants "that the nuclear energy option remains explored so that we do not pass this competence on to other countries" (5).

Büso knows more about the South African country of longing: “Alec Erwin, the South African Minister for Public Enterprises, emphasized that South Africa was determined to build 30 reactors with 150 MW each and to export a large number of others or to build them abroad. Such a minister with this really future-oriented, nuclear-friendly attitude is missing in Merkel's government ... ”(6) - How about the innovative Pinkwart? He even brings his Büso Fan Club with him: “But new tones can also be heard in this country. In any case, the innovation minister of North Rhine-Westphalia, Prof. Dr. Andreas Pinkwart, to say publicly and not just behind closed doors: 'We want to maintain and expand the existing competence in the field of core technology and nuclear safety research' ”(7).

With their agitation against “eco-madness” and “bionarren” (all original sound!), Büso Pinkwart's ideology radicalizes something, because it can agitate without ministrative considerations. the Hammer FDP member of the Bundestag Jörg van Essen has already reached Büso level when he advertises nuclear power plants on the homepage of the FDP-Hamm on June 4, 6 in the now well-known wording with "Intelligent climate protection instead of eco-hysteria".

For over 30 years this obscure sect has been up to mischief under different names not only in the country of origin USA, but also in the FRG. Your guide is Lyndon LaRouche; his wife Helga Zepp-LaRouche is the chairman of numerous offshoots of a psycho network, e. B. the "Schiller Institute". The Büso maintain an eschatological worldview, according to which only LaRouche knows the master plan to prevent doom. The Information Service Against Right-Wing Extremism (IDGR) writes: "The program of the LaRouche organizations is permeated with anti-Semitic - conspiracy-theoretical and authoritarian ideas" (8).

In addition, a crude mixture of techno-fetishistic positions and megalomania are characteristic of the Büso. The economically liberal, authoritarian China is seen as a model. Here, too - certainly not by chance - the THTR is built and frenetically celebrated by Büso in dozens of articles. Lately there has been an increasing number of Büso activities at universities. The “Bochumer Studierendenzeitung” wrote: “Perhaps they believe that their glorification of atomic energy and other technical solutions will appeal to students and scientists in the natural and engineering sciences” (9). In Bochum in particular, professors and other lecturers at the university are active as particularly zealous THTR propagandists (10). The 4th Bochum Energy Day at the university took place in 2006 under the motto "The challenge of nuclear energy in the 21st century".

THTR jubilation articles from the Büso newspaper “New Solidarity” (e.g. “No more industrial sabotage”) are repeatedly reflected on right-wing websites such as “Forum Großdeutsches Vaterland”. Here, too, Pinkwart is in unsavory company. The prematurely celebrated PBMR building in South Africa has long since developed into an obstacle course with an unpredictable end. The community of nuclear zealots is guaranteed not to contest it thanks to their isolated worldview.

Horst Blume

Notes:
1. Westfälische Rundschau, June 26, 6
2. “There is no alternative” Büso homepage
3. Westfälische Rundschau, June 27, 6
4. New Solidarity (Büso) February 21, 2
5. The daily newspaper 9. 9. 2006
6. New Solidarity (Büso) March 14, 3. The PBMR project has now stalled, the grandiose dreams of the nuclear fetishists have burst. See our article “PBMR Coming 2007 Years Later. Or 10. If at all "from May 15, 25.
7. Büso homepage July 3, 7
8. Quoted from WDR. "State election in NRW 2005". The chances of right-wing extremist parties.
9. Bochum student newspaper, May 9, 5, No. 2006
10. THTR circular No. 103 (Wodopia),

No. 109 (The Greed of the Nuclear Democrats ...)

Hartmut Peek-Kruse died of kidney cancer on July 24, 2007 at the age of 66. Hartmut was not only one of the citizens' initiative members from the very beginning, he was also our chairman, an important initiator and courageous plaintiff against the THTR Hamm-Uentrop for many years. Until the beginning of his illness in autumn last year, he repeatedly took part in our campaigns against nuclear power.

The beginning of his and our activities leads us back to the initial phase of the movement, in which we first had to orient ourselves and clarify how we wanted to work and organize ourselves. Citizens' initiatives were something new in Hamm in the mid-70s. During Hartmut's "term of office", several federal and state member assemblies of the "Federal Association of Citizens' Initiatives Environmental Protection" (BBU) took place in Hamm and led to greater national recognition of our initiative. When the almost military clashes at the construction fence in Brokdorf and the emerging terrorism hysteria of the state-supporting parties heralded a new, repressive time and basic mood, our non-violent work was also made more difficult. During this time, Hartmut once suggested that our citizens 'initiative, which has meanwhile been viewed with great criticism, be renamed "Citizens' Association" in order to make it easier for other people to access our arguments. "Hartmuuut - that's terrible," I thought. As a younger anarchist, my hair stood on end at first. - But the endeavor to express oneself to other people and to behave in such a way that we could be understood by them also asserted itself in our BI with its help. And, as is well known, despite all the provincial adversities and limitations of the Hammer Citizens, it ultimately led to success.

But at first it got serious because the THTR threatened to go into operation. Who had the courage to take legal action against it and would take a significant financial risk? Before that we (almost) all avoided and Hartmut took on this task. I hardly believed myself that the bourgeois state would agree with us. But I also pragmatically accepted that the THTR processes could be an important component in our resistance mix. And how important they were soon became apparent when a six-week, highly regarded construction freeze was enforced in this way, reporting on the bankruptcy reactor was boosted and many actions took place in this context. The numerous inadequacies and sloppiness in the design and construction of the THTR only came to the public in this way. - Hartmut calmly and calmly took on the work in the process group and the enormous financial risk - for almost 15 years! Even when the THTR was shut down in 1989, the legal proceedings dragged on until 1995. How absurd! With additional financial claims in the tens of thousands, although the real incidents had shown that we were right with our concerns. Only a petition in the NRW state parliament led to the remainder of the claims against him and put an end to the untenable situation.

Like all of us, Hartmut did not become a club master. He rolled up his sleeves when, after the major accident in 1986, the task was to block the driveways with tractors and to carry out one direct action after the other for three years until this thing was shut down. The not necessarily superviolent slogan “Get rid of the shit!” Came from his lips with an ironic smile. It was more than understandable that he would have liked to get rid of the pressure of the legal process in one fell swoop.

Hartmut was a member of the SPD. Again and again he confronted his strange "comrades" with their support for the social democratic state reactor. Because no party supported the THTR as much as the SPD. - I don't know when he left. At some point, the topic took care of itself.

Hartmut - like so many of us - got really upset about our provincial newspaper "Westfälischer Anzeiger". When the measure was full, he insisted on immediately (!) Not receiving any more newspapers. His fight against quarterly notice on this sheet is legendary. - Hartmut listened to the radio. Whenever there was a very interesting report about nuclear power plants or about our favorite enemy Laurenz Meyer, he called briefly by phone and I, as the editor of the THTR-Rundbief, knew what was going on in the acoustic world.

Monday demonstrations against the HartzIV laws also took place in Hamm. Would anyone from the “ecos” participate? At a rally in front of the green sponsor's office, Hartmut protested in the front row with a banner. - I was relieved that I wasn't the only one from the anti-nuclear movement to be there.

When Minister Thoben wanted to advertise a new bankruptcy reactor at a city reception in the Kurhaus in March 2006, a vigil with a nuclear waste barrel welcomed the 400 visitors. "Red" and "Green" and we independent BI members demonstrated together again, as did Hartmut, of course.

For the past six months, he called me briefly after every appearance of the THTR newsletter (sometimes from the hospital), gave me advice, praised me or made sure that a given number was really correct. The worldwide renaissance of Generation IV reactors worried him. He continued to support our resistance. He noticed that all those problems that we already knew and had behind us in Hamm occur when trying to build a new THTR building in South Africa. I would have granted him that he could still see the story of the failure of the THTR repeat itself in South Africa over the next few years; but this time from a distance, nibbling on a black chocolate, more relaxed. It wasn't granted to him. The world can be very unjust.

Horst Blume

"Prevent nuclear waste before it is created!"

Time: 10 a.m. to 20 p.m. Numerous (short) lectures, well-known speakers, several working groups; Networking of the initiatives, guests from Russia, the Netherlands, France and Finland.

Veranstalter: Citizens' initiatives from Münsterland, Ruhr area, Hamm and numerous others.

Location: "Evangelische Bildungsstätte Reinoldinum", Schwanenwall 34 in Dortmund (near the train station!)

More information soon on our homepage!

Dear readers!

Matthias Eickhoff (Münster) and Horst Blume were proposed to the TAZ for the “Panter Prize - Heroes of Everyday Life” for their anti-nuclear work. That's very nice, but I would prefer it if the TAZ hadn't shut down its NRW edition. It was the only national daily newspaper that reported extensively, continuously and competently on our work. The cessation of the NRW edition will still take bitter revenge. - In “anti atom aktuell” No. 180 articles about Generation IV and about the nuclear rat line were printed. Eurosolar's renowned quarterly magazine “Solarzeitalter” (5.000/2) with a high circulation of 2007 copies published the four-page article “The renaissance of a bankruptcy reactor?”. Our website is currently being optimized with many additional images. And: The THTR-Rundbrief costs money. If you haven't donated for a long time, please do so.

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